Wireless communication systems typically include wireless access systems or radio access networks with equipment such as wireless access nodes along with various control and routing nodes, which provide wireless access to communication services for user devices over wireless links. A typical wireless communication system includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange user communications between user devices and service providers for the communication services. Communication services typically include voice calls, data exchange, web pages, streaming media, or text messages, among other communication services.
In some wireless communication systems, more than one wireless communication protocol or wireless frequency spectrum can be employed. For example, a first wireless access mode employing a first wireless communication protocol can be deployed along with a second wireless access mode employing a second wireless communication protocol. Separate wireless access equipment can be deployed for each wireless access mode, such as when a Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network is deployed over a similar geographic area as a legacy or non-LTE wireless network. User devices can be configured to support multiple wireless access modes, such as including multiple transceivers or antenna systems to communicate with one or more wireless networks.
Overview
Systems, methods, and software for operating a wireless communication system are provided herein. In one example, a method of operating a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes transferring, for delivery to user devices, overhead signaling for a non-long term evolution (LTE) communication protocol over an LTE signaling pathway. The method also includes identifying control channel congestion for wireless communications exchanged with the user devices over a LTE signaling pathway. The method also includes determining when the control channel congestion exceeds a congestion threshold, and responsively transferring the overhead signaling for the non-LTE communication protocol using a non-LTE signaling pathway to ones of the user devices having power headrooms exceeding a headroom threshold.
In another example, a wireless communication system is provided. The wireless communication system includes a communication network configured to transfer, for delivery to user devices, overhead signaling for a non-long term evolution (LTE) communication protocol over an LTE signaling pathway. The wireless communication system also includes a control node configured to identify control channel congestion for wireless communications exchanged with the user devices over a LTE signaling pathway, and determine when the control channel congestion exceeds a congestion threshold. Responsive to the control channel congestion exceeding the congestion threshold, the communication network is configured to transfer the overhead signaling for the non-LTE communication protocol using a non-LTE signaling pathway to ones of the user devices having power headrooms exceeding a headroom threshold.